Singer Gary Glitter convicted of sex crimes

LONDON (AP) — A British jury on Thursday convicted former glam rock singer Gary Glitter of a string of sex abuse offenses against three young girls in the 1970s.

The 70-year-old Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was found guilty of one count of attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault, and one count of sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13.

"Paul Gadd has shown himself to be a habitual sexual predator who took advantage of the star status afforded to him by targeting young girls who trusted him and were in awe of his fame," Det. Chief Insp. Michael Orchard said.

Orchard added that Glitter's "lack of remorse and defense that the victims were lying makes his crimes all the more indefensible."

Glitter was convicted by a jury of five men and seven women at a London court after a two-week trial. He blew kisses to a public gallery full of reporters as he was remanded in custody.

He will be sentenced on Feb. 27. The maximum sentence in Britain for unlawful sex with a minor is life imprisonment.

The singer was arrested in October 2012 under Operation Yewtree, the national investigation that police launched in the wake of a child abuse scandal surrounding the late BBC entertainer Jimmy Savile.

Glitter's career peaked in the early 1970s. He is best known for "Rock & Roll (Part 2)," a hit in both the U.S. and Britain. He fell into disgrace after being convicted and imprisoned on child abuse charges in Vietnam.